Jordan McLaughlin, Chimezie Metu share USC basketball team MVP award

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USC forward Chimezie Metu, right, celebrates a basket with guard Jordan McLaughlin during a game against Washington last season at the Galen Center. They were named the program’s co-MVPs at Thursday’s awards banquet. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Jordan McLaughlin and Chimezie Metu were named co-winners of the Sam Barry Award, presented to the USC basketball team’s most valuable player, at the annual postseason awards banquet Thursday evening.

It was the first time since 2014 that Trojans coach Andy Enfield had given a team MVP award to a player.

McLaughlin, a senior guard, led the Pac-12 in assists at 7.8 per game and finished his career second on USC’s all-time assists list. Metu, a junior forward who is entering the NBA draft, was the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, averaging 15.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

The alley-oop tandem led USC (24-12 overall, 12-6 Pac-12) to a second-place finish in the conference, but the Trojans were left out of the field for the NCAA Tournament after consecutive appearances. Their season ended with a second-round loss in the National Invitation Tournament.

Joey Kaufman is the USC beat writer for the Southern California News Group. Since joining the Orange County Register in 2015, he has also covered Major League Baseball and UCLA athletics. His work has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors and Football Writers Association of America. Kaufman grew up in beautiful downtown Burbank.